Sunday, August 23, 2015

DCC RPG Patron Taint: The Red King of A Red & Pleasant Land

This is the second part detailing using The Red King as a DCC RPG patron. The Invoke Patron effects can be found here. Spellburn and patron spells still to come. More R&PL patrons further down the road as well. 






Patron Taint:  The Red King
When patron taint is indicated for The Red King, roll 1d6 on the table below. 
When a caster has acquired all six taints at all levels of effect, there is no need to continue rolling any more.



Roll
Result
1
The caster has become apathetic and slothful, and would lounge, recline and sleep if given the opportunity. If the result is rolled a second time, the caster’s physical self has begun to match his mental state, -1 to Stamina. If rolled a third time, the caster suffers another -1 to Stamina and is prone to sleeping at inopportune times. The caster must make a Will save DC 10 or fall asleep at the Judge’s request.
2
The caster only finds value in ancient things. If presented with a choice between an old trinket or a newer item of great value, the caster will choose the trinket. If the result is rolled a second time, the caster will not carry or wear any object that is not double the age of the caster (which may include his spellbook). These items must be discarded immediately. If rolled a third time the caster no longer views mortals as worthwhile entities. The caster suffers a -1 to Personality and must make a Will saving throw DC 10 to interact with any being less than 100 years of age.
3
The caster has begun to be unstuck on her side of the looking Glass, and has taken on some characteristics of her double. If the caster favored her right hand before, she now favors her left. She must take an action to change grips and adjust to the change. If this result is rolled a second time, the character's brain hemispheres are swapped. The rational becomes intuitive, and intelligence is swapped with Personality. If rolled a third time the caster immediately trades places with her quiet side double. The caster is now immune to the madness inspired by the quiet side, but the double has adopted a murderous rage upon taking its place on the war side. The double will do all that it can to end as many lives as possible but is not blindly suicidal.
4
The caster is now permanently charmed by the Red King and would never even conceive of crossing or acting against him. If this result is rolled a second time, the caster values the Red King's life more than his own and would sacrifice his life without hesitation in defense of his King. If rolled a third time the character realizes that his devotion is more than fealty and is in fact romantic love. The caster will take whatever steps necessary to become one of the Brides of the Red King.
5
The caster has realized that she is a knight in service to her patron. The player and judge should create a chivalric code that the character must follow. If this result is rolled a second time, the caster takes on the role of a knight in a chess game, and will only move in the fashion of a knight chess piece, three steps forward, one to the side. This results in a 25% reduction to speed, and a -2 penalty to Reflex saves. If rolled a third time the caster must take her proper place as a Knight of the Red King. The character must defeat a knight then take and equip all of its knightly accoutrements. Whether through murder or duel depends on the individual chivalric code. For each day the caster does not complete this quest inflicts a cumulative -1 penalty to all rolls.
6
The caster has become fascinated with cruelty. Given the opportunity to explore the effects of pain and suffering on a living creature, he will relish the chance. During down time the caster will torture animals, trample rodents, pull the wings off of flies. If this result is rolled a second time, the caster’s penchant for torture becomes more pronounced. He cannot help but torture a defeated foe, and acts to inflict the most pain in combat, rather than for tactical advantage. If the judge finds the caster to not be behaving sufficiently sadisticly, the caster suffers a cumulative -1 penalty to Luck per hour until a good torture is conducted. If rolled a third time, the caster becomes fully obsessed by cruelty. This inhuman turn is reflected by a -2 penalty to Personality, unless the check involves other sadist types.

Are these effects too brutal? Well that what you get for throwing your lot in with a vampire king.

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